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How to Gift Plastic Surgery

The Growing Trend of Gifting Plastic Surgery

We’re quickly rounding the turn from summer into autumn, and for many people, this means thinking about the approaching holiday season. From Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas and Hanukkah, the fall/winter months are filled with reasons to celebrate. Along with those celebrations comes the tradition of giving gifts.

Everyone’s gift-giving style is different, right? Some people love to give gift cards, so that the recipient can make their own purchase when they want to. Some prefer to give experiences, rather than specific items, and others gift subscriptions to ensure that the gift “keeps on giving” throughout the year. Gift-giving is really somewhat of an art, and requires time and thought to find something truly special.

As it turns out, one of the gifting solutions that has increased in popularity during the last several years is the trend of gifting plastic surgery, in a variety of forms. New York plastic surgeon Stafford Broumand, MD tells New Beauty that the “trend of gifting someone with plastic surgery during the holidays is not new, but it is becoming more and more prevalent…spouses and significant others are gifting services such as Botox treatments for wrinkles and sweating, filler for facial creases, and potential surgeries after a consultation for neck lip, body lipo, and eyelid surgery.” Other surgeons say that they’ve been selling gift cards for select services for over a decade, and that the trend is only increasing as the years go on.

As you might imagine, this is a particularly tricky gift to “get right.” There’s a fine line between offending your recipient and pleasing them, and giving plastic surgery in the right way is tremendously important. Otherwise, the gift may just turn into a source of controversy and pain. Giving plastic surgery isn’t right for everybody, but when done properly, it can be a life-changing and extraordinary present.

How to Gift Plastic Surgery…The Right Way

Well, let’s start with the wrong way to gift plastic surgery, and the number one commandment of giving someone plastic surgery: Do not make it a surprise. As the American Society of Plastic Surgeons explains, “when it comes to plastic surgery, the worst mistake is making it a surprise. For example, giving your girlfriend a gift certificate for breast augmentation can cause offense if she didn’t ask for it. It would be like giving someone a membership for a weight loss program; it sends an obvious message that you’re unhappy with their appearance. What was meant to be a present is actually an insult.”

If you care about someone enough to give them plastic surgery (a fairly pricey proposition, compared to a sweater), we’re assuming that you aren’t intending to insult them at the same time. So, make sure that you do discuss the surgery with them in advance, and ensure that it’s something they want to do with or without your help. “If the patient doesn’t feel they need it, next year you are going to have a lump of coal in your stocking because you’ll make someone very angry,” says New York plastic surgeon Norman Rowe to USA Today. The recipient should already feel as if they need the surgery, and you will simply be helping them achieve it financially.

Do remember that surgical procedures are by no means “one size fits all.” When gifting cosmetic procedures, it’s more common to take care of procedures that may cover smaller areas or are minimally invasive, rather than a full-body liposuction. Eyelid surgeries, Botox, dermal fillers, or rhinoplasties are popular gifts that can dramatically change one’s appearance without weeks and weeks of recovery time. The New Jersey eyelid surgery experts at East Coast Advanced Plastic Surgery, for example, note that eyelid surgery can have a major impact with a short recovery and minor residual swelling, depending on age and health.

Finally, do remember that there are a variety of ways to gift plastic surgeries that will vary based on the surgery and the person. Maybe a gift certificate, so that the recipient can choose their surgery, is the way to go. Cynthia Murphy notes that she prefers buying gift cards that could be applied to Botox, medical peels, or laser treatments because then it’s “entirely up to [Murphy’s friend] what she would like to do with it because it is a personal decision. I like to find a gift that somebody would appreciate, but isn’t likely to do for themselves…usually they feel it would be overly indulgent.”

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons also notes that it’s helpful, once you’re absolutely sure that a patient wants a specific procedure, to schedule a consultation with an ASPS member surgeon before pre-paying. In the consultation, the surgeon can give the patient the most accurate expected cost and more information about the risks involved, before the surgery is scheduled and paid for.

Giving plastic surgery isn’t like wrapping up a sweater or a pair of socks. There are more risks and more complications involved, but the rewards can also be greater: The gift of plastic surgery has the potential to change lives and increase confidence in tremendously impactful ways.

If you have questions or want to learn more about giving plastic surgery to someone you love, leave a comment in the section below, anytime! We’d be more than happy to help direct you to someone who can help.